The complex failure modes for large software applications often make it very hard for system operators to effectively diagnose and rectify problems. In recent years, researchers have developed a number of powerful statistical techniques to detect problems and generate alerts in complex systems. Timely and informative alerts are definitely helpful but system operators face additional challenges when a problem is detected. For instance, the problem resolution process may involve many steps, and data relevant to diagnosing and fixing the problem must often be integrated from several sources.
The Dialog Manager offers an effective means for encoding procedural knowledge to represent resolution procedures, with the ability to guide operators perform complex procedures using a conversational interface.